Role Model
by Symphoniafan
Summary: He was the parent, the adult, the one charged with being a good role model to his son. He was the father figure, the one that Lloyd would look up to as he grew up and would mimic. The one he would learn right and wrong from, good and evil. At least, that is what Anna claimed and that was her ever constant argument when it came to this situation.


**Role Model**

Disclaimer: Namco owns Tales of Symphonia.

**Summary: He was the parent, the adult, the one charged with being a good role model to his son. He was the father figure, the one that Lloyd would look up to as he grew up and would mimic. The one he would learn right and wrong from, good and evil. At least, that is what Anna claimed and that was her ever constant argument when it came to this situation.**

"Neither of you are leaving that table until your plates are clean."

Anna gathered an armful of dishes, throwing a firm glance at the two boys in her charge and exited the dining room to start the dishes.

"I don't wanna eat 'em!"

"I know, Lloyd." Kratos ruffled his son's hair sympathetically, then turned with a sigh towards his own plate. He was the parent, the adult, the one charged with being a good role model to his son. He was the father figure, the one that Lloyd would look up to as he grew up and would mimic. The one he would learn right and wrong from, good and evil. At least, that is what Anna claimed and that was her ever constant argument when it came to this situation.

Finishing the tomatoes on their plate.

"Daddy eat mine?"

Kratos lifted his head just in time to see a speared red glob upon the tines of a fork waved before his face. He recoiled and checked himself as Lloyd giggled, stretching further towards him in his little chair.

"No, Lloyd. I have my own to eat."

"Daddy doesn't like toe-mat-toes either." Lloyd giggled, then pouted, leaning over and looking at the floor, dangling the fork.

"Don't drop it on the floor, Lloyd." Heaven forbid if Anna found tomato chunks scattered across the wood floor and neither boys insight.

"But I don't wanna eat it!" Lloyd pouted, dropped it back on his plate.

"I know, son."

Kratos stared at his situation. There were a number of ways he could handle it. He could slide the evil fruit from Lloyd's plate to his own and then simply argue for Lloyd's sake that the boy had indeed eaten his share and that Kratos was an adult and could eat whatever he chose to. But Kratos was certain Anna precisely counted each chunk she deposited on their plates. She even had the indecency to let them touch the other food.

The second option was to do the opposite and argue the fact that Lloyd was a child and had the right to be picky. But again, the problem was the amount.

The third option would be try to brush the confounded lumps of juicy flesh into the garbage and sneak the trash out before Anna was the wiser. The issue with that was the garbage container was in the kitchen, where Anna was currently doing the dishes.

Kratos sighed, going over the other multiple options: throwing them out the window, squishing them under his fork until they were mush and looked like less, cut them into tiny pieces and convince Lloyd to eat them and drink a lot of milk along with each piece...

He sighed and heard a similar little sigh come from his right. He glanced over where Lloyd was slouching in his chair glaring at the little red blobs with indignant rage and fury. He continued to spear them, each puncture causing more orange juice to squeeze out and swim on the plate.

This was a hopeless endeavour. Perhaps Kratos would have to sacrifice himself and just consume all of Lloyd's pieces. There were fewer anyway and just deal with Anna's wrath. It was the only way to save his son from such a fate that he had once before in his youth, suffered through most heinously with his own parents.

"Daddy?"

Kratos looked at his son dejectedly. He was failing him, unable to find a way out of this horrible predicament, and yet Lloyd still looked to him with hope.

"Yes, Lloyd?"

"Does Noishie like Toe-mat-toes?

For a moment, father and son shared a moment of enlightenment and relief. As the smile crept to Kratos' face, a similar expression was rising with his son. Both boys looked down towards the sleeping protozoan on the floor, who being observed lifted his head with curiosity and wagged his tail.

"Why don't you offer him one, Lloyd, and find out?"

Lloyd grinned and lifted his fork once more. "Okay!"

He lowered the fork and for a moment the room was silent. Both victims held their breath with anticipation as Noishe first sniffed then tenderly took the piece of tomato from the form, chewing and swallowing it down.

Lloyd erupted in a giggle and clapped his hands, immediately spearing another offensive piece. "Daddy too!"

"Yes, Lloyd, I will don't worry." Kratos smiled, swelling with pride for his son's quick thinking and problem-solving. Perhaps he hadn't failed after all. Of course, he would have to caution his son not to do this in front of his mother. After all, the last lesson Lloyd had learned about dealing with tomatoes had ended with a harsh scolding. Stealth and cleverness were key. He would have to show Lloyd all the tricks of slipping the fork beneath the table without being seen, how to time it just right...

"Kratos what on earth are you teaching our son!"

Caught red-handed...With only the truth to save him from this predicament.

"It was his idea-"

"Then why is Noishe eating tomato off of your fork!" Anna scowled arms folded.

Kratos looked at the protozoan, then at Lloyd, who sat with wide eyes and a serious face knowing they had been caught. It didn't stop him from lowering his tomato speared fork once more to the waiting protozoan. He was a quick learner...

Kratos cleared his throat and straightened in his seat, ready to face the wrath of his wife with a simple and calculate response.

"I can explain."

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